APPARATUS AND METHOD TO MAXIMIZE VEHICLE FUNCTIONALITY AND FUEL ECONOMY WITH IMPROVED DRIVABILITY DURING ENGINE AUTO STOP-START OPERATIONS

• Main Authors: DELJEVIC ZELJKO, BOUSE WILLIAM J, KHAFAGY HAFIZ S, PEBLEY KIRK
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.08.2016
• Subjects: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE ORDIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TOTHE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

An auto stop-start equipped vehicle power management system includes a primary power source supplying energy to an electrical starter to crank a vehicle engine and a secondary power source coupled in parallel to the primary power source. The secondary power source supplies energy to electric loads during an engine auto stop-start operation. The electrical loads maintain vehicle subsystem functionality during the engine auto stop-start operation. The energy supplied to the electrical loads is current limited during the engine auto stop-start operation. A controllable switch decouples the secondary power source from the primary power source and starter motor during the engine auto stop-start operation. Operating parameters of the electrical loads are monitored during the engine auto stop-start operation. If a respective operating parameter threshold associated with the electrical loads is exceeded during the engine auto stop-start operation, then the vehicle engine is automatically restarted and the controllable switch is subsequently closed.